September 17 2024 Kimberly Ryan Limited Articles
Meetings And Workplace Productivity
Meetings are a key part of any business. They keep employees and employers informed of any changes, areas of improvement, strengths and additional information that will benefit organization. They also provide an avenue for resolving knotty issues that are best addressed as a team. No reputable organization wants to portray itself in the corporate world as inefficient or inept.
There is a general consensus about the universal detest for meetings. No doubt about that, every organization has them and they seem to take on a life of their own. In theory, meetings are supposed to help employees keep up to date with their activities, pass information and make decisions. The reality is very little is accomplished. Meetings are necessary for workplace productivity, but organizations handle it poorly. Too much discussion doesn’t leave enough time for any action.
Hence, this is why many employers and employees usually spend more time in meetings than doing their jobs. Employees spend on average 6 to 7 hours per week in meetings and are forced to do the work they were hired for within the margin of the day. This leads to burn out, which leads to retention and attrition issues.
Before You Set Up a Meeting
Just before you consider setting up a meeting, take a sit back and ponder on the following questions:
- What is the purpose of the meeting? The purpose is the why behind the meeting. Prior to the meeting, this, must be clearly stated and put into context for the attendees. This is helpful in communicating the meetings purpose and how it aligns with a larger strategic business plan. “When the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable” T.D Jakes
- What is the outcome of the meeting? Identifying the outcome of the meeting goes a long way in giving an insight into what is envisaged to happen at the end of the meeting. It is necessary to know the purpose any meeting will serve, otherwise the meeting can be fruitless.
- Who is the meeting meant for? Not all meetings are for everybody in the organization. It is necessary that you identify the right people for the meeting.
- What is the execution process? This spells out how attendees will get from problem to solution. This ensures that each attendee has been assigned specific tasks and actions he is expected to attend to when the meeting is over.
- Which responsibility is entrusted to the attendees at the close of the meeting? Before the meeting ends, ensure that each attendee understands what they are accountable for. It is necessary that you ensure that they take responsibility for their tasks and accept the deadlines for the execution.
Too much discussion doesn’t leave enough time for any doing. This is why employees literally spend more time in meetings than doing their jobs. Meetings are a hidden operating expense that often cost businesses more than they realize. While the typical goal of a meeting is to get things done, the reality is that most meetings only serve as a time sink.
Tips for Recovering Time
Here are tips in recovering enormous amounts of time that can be put to more productive hours:
- Cut time length and be disciplined about attendees: Keep meetings short and concise
- Prepare an agenda
- Stay on target: One of the biggest pitfalls is going off target---discussing tangent issues
- Keep the meeting size small and intimate
Shifting organizational culture from endless meetings is by no means an easy task and it certainly won’t happen overnight. Focusing on increased productivity and streamlined business processes is a worthwhile strategy. Meetings can be a conduit for change. They do not necessarily have to be a trap. A meeting can improve productivity, communication and integration of team’s work.
At Kimberly Ryan, we recognise that meetings are an essential component of our business activity. We look out for opportunities to save operating cost and increase productivity, optimizing meetings is a good way to go. Hence, we engage in replacing meetings that are not necessary with emails, short briefings and desk-based talks and chat tools. When face to face is absolutely necessary, we keep it as short and concise as possible.
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